Update – 3 April 2025
Following this consultation that closed on 13 May 2024, Te Hikutū Hapū amended the original proposed area. Fisheries New Zealand is now inviting submissions from persons having a fishing interest in the stock or stocks in the proposed mātaitai reserve. Submissions on the second consultation close on 19 May 2025.
Find out about the second consultation for this mātaitai reserve application
Consultation background
Ngā tāngata kaitiaki ō Te Hikutū (Te Hikutū Hapū) applied for a mātaitai reserve (Te Mātaitai ō Te Hikutū) in the southern part of the Hokianga Harbour, Northland.
Te Hikutū Hapū and Fisheries New Zealand held a public meeting to discuss the application and invited submissions on the proposal from the local community.
This was the first of 2 consultations to be held about the application.
What was proposed?
The proposed mātaitai included a portion of the southern Hokianga Harbour, from near Koutu Point to north of the Whirinaki River mouth, and included the waterways in the Waima Forest.
The proposed area was the same as the gazetted area/rohe moana of Te Hikutū Hapū.
Consultation documents
Map of proposed mātaitai [JPG, 12 MB]
Te Mataitai o Te Hikutu application [PDF, 9.3 MB]
Public notices
Public notices notifying the local community that an application has been made and calling for submissions were scheduled to appear in the Northern Advocate and Northland Age (28 March and 11 April). Details of the 29 April 2024 public meeting were scheduled to appear in the same newspapers (11 April and 25 April).
The second consultation for this reserve application
Following this consultation, Fisheries New Zealand held a second consultation.
In the second consultation, we invited submissions from people having a fishing interest in the stock or stocks in the proposed reserve.
We advertised the second consultation in the same newspapers and on this website.
About mātaitai reserves
A mātaitai reserve is an identified traditional fishing ground which tangata whenua have a special relationship with. Mātaitai reserves are limited to fisheries waters and do not include any land area. Mātaitai reserves do not change any existing arrangements for access to private land.
Mātaitai reserves also do not affect private landowners’ land titles, or their ability to exercise resource consents for such things as taking water or extracting gravel or sand. Resource consents are managed under the Resource Management Act 1991.
Mātaitai reserves do not change the existing recreational fishing rules, however, commercial fishing is banned in a mātaitai reserve.
Mātaitai reserves do not have an impact on whitebait or trout fishing.
Find out more about mātaitai reserves
Fisheries (Kaimoana Customary Fishing) Regulations 1998 – NZ Legislation
